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A review by jessby
Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks
5.0
An epic novel relating the life and times of John Brown, American abolitionist, told through the eyes of his son Owen. It was long, but thoroughly immersive, and I savoured every page.
Brown was a very interesting man. A committed Christian and thoroughly opposed to black slavery, he becomes more and more unhinged as the novel progresses. It is a study of the descent into the madness that is extremism, albeit for a moral and just cause.
Owen carries a lot of guilt for surviving the Harpers Ferry siege, which resulted in the deaths of many family members and friends. It is interesting to consider whether this is typical "survivors guilt" or whether he ultimately had such influence over his father that what began as a relatively peaceful process to protect black slaves, was overrun by Owen's desire for "action, action, action", and was what ultimately morphed the crusade into murder by negligence.
Also of interest was the religious extremism theme. Of course the cause was a worthy and admirable one, and some causes may be worth the cost of your life. However the turning point for me was the cold blooded murder of 3 pro-slavery men, together with the idea that God was speaking directly and exclusively to Old Brown himself. From this point on there was complete rejection of negotiation and martyrdom seemed inevitable.
At what point do we stop talking and become people of decision and action?
Can we pull back to conversation from there or does it have to be a one way street?
Does the end justify the means? And most importantly, how can you decide that when cost is unknown at the beginning?
Brown was a very interesting man. A committed Christian and thoroughly opposed to black slavery, he becomes more and more unhinged as the novel progresses. It is a study of the descent into the madness that is extremism, albeit for a moral and just cause.
Owen carries a lot of guilt for surviving the Harpers Ferry siege, which resulted in the deaths of many family members and friends. It is interesting to consider whether this is typical "survivors guilt" or whether he ultimately had such influence over his father that what began as a relatively peaceful process to protect black slaves, was overrun by Owen's desire for "action, action, action", and was what ultimately morphed the crusade into murder by negligence.
Also of interest was the religious extremism theme. Of course the cause was a worthy and admirable one, and some causes may be worth the cost of your life. However the turning point for me was the cold blooded murder of 3 pro-slavery men, together with the idea that God was speaking directly and exclusively to Old Brown himself. From this point on there was complete rejection of negotiation and martyrdom seemed inevitable.
At what point do we stop talking and become people of decision and action?
Can we pull back to conversation from there or does it have to be a one way street?
Does the end justify the means? And most importantly, how can you decide that when cost is unknown at the beginning?